Development and Experimental Parameterization of a Cell Model for Structured Packing in a Miniaturized Measurement Cell with a Liquid Film Sensor

Abstract Liquid maldistribution remains a major source of uncertainty in the design and scale-up of packed columns. In this work, the RUB cell model is extended to structured packings and combined with a liquid film sensor-based tracer methodology in a miniaturized measuring cell. Tracer distribution experiments were conducted with Montz-Pak B1-250 structured packing under countercurrent air–water operation for liquid loads of 20–40 m3 m–2 h–1 and gas load factors of 0.93–2.8 Pa0.5. The measured tracer distributions reveal a clear transition from localized rivulet flow below the loading point to broader film-dominated liquid spreading at elevated gas loads. Based on these distributions, directional spreading coefficients were determined for cell model application. The fitted coefficients show physically consistent trends across the operating range, with nearly constant lateral redistribution below loading, first indications of altered redistribution behavior around the loading point, and increased redistribution toward flooding. The results demonstrate that the extended cell model captures the main changes in lateral liquid distribution in structured packings. Liquid film sensors integrated into miniaturized measuring cells therefore provide a robust and resource-efficient basis for cell model parametrization under realistic countercurrent operating conditions.